HB 427: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO OFFENSES INVOLVING DEADLY WEAPONS AND DANGEROUS INSTRUMENTS.
HB 427 status: Enacted — Signed by Governor (updated Aug 17, 2026).
What this bill does
Overall score
Bill summary
OfficialThis substitute bill allows target practicing with a BB gun, projectile weapon, or firearm by a 16 or 17 year old without direct supervision of a person age 21 or above provided the 16 or 17 year old has permission of a parent or guardian and the 16 or 17 year old has completed a hunter education course. Additionally, ...
Key analysis
Impact analysis
Environment
Benefits
- Encourages participation in hunter education programs
Risks
- No material direct effect on environmental policy identified
Economy
Benefits
- Supports hunting and sporting goods industries by encouraging youth involvement
Risks
- Limited potential for increased liability or municipal regulatory complexity
Society
Benefits
- Facilitates youth access to traditional hunting and target practice
- Promotes safety training through required certification
Risks
- Reduces mandatory adult supervision for minors with firearms
- Potential for accidents if safety training is not strictly followed
How trustworthy & consequential it is
Source
LegiScan
Confidence
highhigh
Analysis status
LegiScan full bill text
Removing direct adult supervision increases the reliance on individual minor compliance with safety training
Relies on existing hunter education frameworks under Title 7 for efficacy
Where it stands
Introduced
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CompleteGovernor
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CompleteHow it affects your district
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